Senior Director, Employee Relations

Job DescriptionThe Senior Director, Employee Relations will hold a critical leadership role working closely with the Vice President, Global People Matters, and you will be responsible for working with a high performing team that will manage investigations, policy development and enforcement, and employment actions across Ford Motor Company’s operations in the United States. This encompasses implementing people policies and processes, rolling out key initiatives, and overseeing complex internal investigations. This position is central to fostering a positive and productive employee relations environment by providing expert guidance to senior leaders on complex ethical, conduct, and policy-related issues. The demands of this role are dynamic, requiring a resilient, positive, and seasoned leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and can build, implement, and optimize enterprise-wide solutions. This leadership will require ensuring we have the best possible People Matters talent through strong and inspirational leadership, talent development, and upskilling.ResponsibilitiesThis role reports to the Vice President, Global People Matters, within our Human Resources organization. You will be responsible for the following:Strategy & Leadership: Work with Ford’s People Matters leadership team to develop strategy, with a strong focus on internal investigations, policy development and enforcement, and managing employment actions, ensuring alignment with the company’s overall business objectives and values.Team Leadership & Development: Collaborate with, lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing team of People Matters professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement in investigations, employment actions and policy application.Strategic Advisory: Advise and influence senior leaders on complex employee relations matters, including the interpretation and application of policy, investigation findings, disciplinary actions, and conflict resolution, ensuring legal compliance and risk mitigation.Compliance & Risk Mitigation: Ensure comprehensive compliance with a complex array of labor laws, regulations, and practices across operations, mitigating legal and reputational risks. Policy & Process Excellence: Develop, implement, and continuously review HR policies and processes related to People Matters, specifically for investigations, disciplinary actions, data privacy, ethical conduct, and employee grievances, ensuring they are legally compliant, competitive, and enhance the employee experience.Project & Change Management: Lead and manage large-scale projects related to employee relations products, policies, and processes, utilizing robust projects and change management skills to engage and align key stakeholders.Data-Driven Insights: Proactively utilize data and metrics to inform improvements to policy, process, and training, educating employees and leaders on trends and best practices in employee conduct and compliance.Cross-functional Collaboration: Collaborate extensively and foster strong partnerships cross-functionally with legal, operations, and other HR teams and regionally to further the goals of the Company and the People Matters function. Culture & Employee Experience: Champion initiatives that promote a positive employee experience, foster a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, and uphold the highest standards of integrity across all regional interactions.QualificationsJuris Doctorate (preferred) or a master's degree in HR, Business, or other related subject areas.8+ years of progressive experience in employee relations, internal investigations, and policy development within a multi-national context.Prior experience with labor law, employment law issuesExtensive experience and deep expertise with employee relations practices across markets.Proven experience conducting and overseeing complex, internal investigations, ensuring legal compliance and ethical standards.Broad experience counseling leaders and senior leaders on complex employee relations issues.Preferred:Experience handling charges from employment/labor agencies and managing group separation programs.Proven ability to deliver high-quality results while handling multiple priorities.Prior experience working with agile cross-functional teams in a global matrixed organization.Strong business acumen – Possesses both systems thinking and holistic perspectives (understands how the different parts of the organization interact to generate results globally).Demonstrates a growth mindset and aptitude for critical thinking.Self-starter, capable of communicating across skill teams, regions, and at all levels of an enterprise.Strong coaching, influencing, and facilitation skills.A collaborative and empathetic approach to solving problems with teams across Ford.Resiliency, creative thinking, and strong problem-solving skills in complex scenarios.Strong interpersonal and leadership skills